


Hearts of Melting Magic

by astronis



Category: Fire Emblem: Soen no Kiseki/Akatsuki no Megami | Fire Emblem Path of Radiance/Radiant Dawn
Genre: Feelings Realization, First Kiss, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Love Confessions, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-06
Updated: 2019-01-06
Packaged: 2019-10-05 08:16:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17321315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/astronis/pseuds/astronis
Summary: It was a cold day for the Greil Mercenaries.





	Hearts of Melting Magic

Gallian winters were indisputably tough. The dense forests of the grand nation were buried under a thick layer of pearly white snow, and everything was blurry behind the strong, snowy gusts the seasonal change had brought over. For the laguz, this didn’t represent a problem. They would enter a state of hibernation, in which their activity rate decreases significantly, if not completely.

Beorc, on the other hand, do not hibernate.

Their furless, skinny bodies can only withstand so much cold before it begins to impact their general performance. What’s more, they must don robes, scarves, gloves, and other garments that—as laguz would claim—slow them down further.

Unluckily for a certain band of mercenaries who hadn’t anticipated the weather would take such a toll on them, they hadn’t traveled to Gallia as well-prepared as they thought they were, and the cold was already beginning to sweep them off their feet.

“Ike… I’m cold…” said Mist with a distinct tone of pity in her voice, hunching against her brother’s side for warmth. “The castle isn’t too far up ahead, Mist. We’ll be there soon.” The blue-haired mercenary spoke in attempt to reassure Mist, who with each step taken, had her will to continue walking diminish further. And it wasn’t all that different for the rest of them, actually.

Next to them was Boyd. Now for him in particular, cold weather was devastating. His cold tolerance was as low as humanly possible. His siblings were quite impressed he hadn’t given up yet, but Oscar imagined he was just barely hanging in there, probably trying to impress the rest. It was either that, or he simply didn’t want to lose against Ike in something as simple as this was.

“Hold are you holding up, Ike? Not gonna yield, are you?” The green-haired boy inquired for, probably, the fifth time already. He was oddly insistent on this, but they knew it was normal for Boyd to fixate on a particular something and act as though it represents hindrance to somebody else, when he’s the one having it the toughest.

“How about yourself?” Ike threw a quick look to his right side, scanning Boyd briefly. “You keep shaking like mad.” The other simply laughed at Ike’s remark. He knew he was spot on, but was he willing to concede? Of course not.

“I’m fine. We’re almost there anyway, aren’t we?”

“We should be. I don’t recall ever establishing this would be a test of endurance, though.”

“Does that mean you’re bailing out of this one?”

There was a cocky grin on the green-haired mercenary’s face. Ike didn’t particularly care about the silly competition, but he didn’t want to lose to Boyd either.

“Of course not.”

…

The journey was unbearably tiring. Each one of them had to, on top of walking, endure the unrelenting snowstorm that raged their way. Oscar and Titania had to dismount every so often to help their steeds maneuver through the soupy terrain. Had they known the coming of winter would represent this much of a complication for them, they would’ve taken a different path.

Shinon would let occasional grunts out, as he let his head drop forward and hit the back of Gatrie’s armor. The other didn’t mind, of course. If anything, he’d snort in amusement, one of the things the former loved about him, though he wouldn’t let anyone catch him alive accepting it. He would deny it every time, but he had grown quite attached to the blond knight.

Boyd and Mia only knew how to sigh, whine, yawn, rinse and repeat. Rolf would eventually travel close to Boyd, similarly to how Mist did with Ike, making use of his large build to seek haven from the blizzard, even if just barely. Mia would latch to Boyd’s arm every now and then, trying to keep herself awake and on her feet.

Soren kept to himself. Ike understood him the most out of everyone, and so he would shoot quick glances at him every now and then, to check on him. He was caught up in his musings, as to distract himself from the harsh conditions they were all trapped in for what seemed to be an eternity.

It was especially tough for Rhys, whose weak constitution would cripple his endurance to a minimum, but he managed to withstand the low temperatures thanks to Titania’s gift. A fuzzy, thick robe that kept him more or less warm through their journey.

King Caineghis’ invitation to spend the night in Castle Gallia for the upcoming festivals soon turned into a nightmare for the traveling mercenaries, as they would either have to push themselves past their limit, or pitch their tents nearby and call it a day. An extra half an hour worth of more and more walking finally paid off, with the dark of the night looming up ahead, they managed to spot Castle Gallia in the far distance.

“That’s Castle Gallia up ahead! Cheer up, Mist. We’re almost there.” Ike said to an exhausted Mist, who struggled to keep her eyes open, and just barely.

“About time! I’m beat and starving. I feel like I could eat an entire pot of beef stew by myself if I really wanted to.” The green-haired mercenary growled. After whining all day in protest about the biting cold and the thick snow getting in his boots every ten steps, he finally sang victory.

“I understand your inquietude, Boyd, but remember we’ve all come a long way, so whatever we’re offered, be mindful of the rest and learn to share.” Oscar berated him. He was always moderate, often reminding Boyd and Rolf of their manners with gentleness, but even for his usual demeanor, he sounded too calm. Way too calm, if anything. His fatigue was evident, as was the rest’s.

“Yeah, yeah. I know! Save that for when we’re actually there. C’mon!” The middle sibling replied, brushing his brother’s words off with enthusiasm.

And so they walked on…

…And on…

…And on.

Unluckily for them—as if it hadn’t been misfortune after misfortune for them already—the storm heightened.

“No way…” Boyd complained. “Did it just get even colder?!”

The path in front of them became almost impossible to see, and everyone was close to fainting due to the cold. “Ike, this doesn’t look good. We shouldn’t go on under these conditions.” Soren advised. “Looking for a nearby space to camp would be ideal.”

Ike was a little frustrated. They had journeyed so much, and for so long, only to be met with this? But Soren was right. If they kept walking under weather that harsh, only hypothermia waited ahead, no matter how close they were to their destination now.

“…You’re right. Everyone, we’ll make a stop here.” The young mercenary commanded while looking around for a good spot to settle for the coming night, and nearby, a group of trees stood tall on a short hill, leaving an adjacent flat area in which they could raise their tents. “Over here, follow me.”

Once their pace met a halt, they realized just how tired to their bones they all were, and the cold didn’t help them one bit. Gatrie and Shinon helped gathering some logs and branches to light up a fire, Oscar made sure everyone would get a fair ration of food for the night, Mia and Titania unpacked some utilities the latter thought would be necessary to bring along in case of an emergency—a good judgement on her part—and Ike and Boyd simply stuck to pitching up the tents.

“You’re doing that wrong!” The green-haired man exclaimed. “Haven’t you ever set up a tent before?”

“Not really. When father and I went out on expeditions, I would settle for a tree. As long as I have my cape with me, I have no problem dealing with the cold.” He replied, quickly fixing his blunder. Putting up a tent was more work than he had anticipated.

“I don’t think this is the kind of cold you can block out with your cape. Besides, it’s all ragged now. Shouldn’t you ask Rhys or Mist to patch it up for you?”

“It looks just fine to me. I’ve had this cape with me for a long time, it’s not something I can toss away just like that.”

The green-haired mercenary remained silent for a short while before replying. “Mm, I suppose so. Are you done over there?”

“Yeah. That was the last one. And that makes… six of them.”

Boyd tilts his head. Something doesn’t add up. “Only six? There’s eleven of us here!”

“They’re big enough for two of us to fit within each tent, so six of them are more than enough for us. We’ll distribute them amongst ourselves after dinner.” Ike replied with certainty.

“Oh! Okay, I see. Why don’t we go check on the others?” The other said, stretching his shoulders.

Before they had realized, noon had already bid them farewell, and a deep mantle of pitch black extended above them. The calm after the storm finally comes, though the cold and the biting icy gusts linger still. After enjoying a quick meal around the fire and welcoming its warmth into their bodies, they ended up discussing who each one of them would share a tent with for the night.

Gatrie was quick to lock his arm around Shinon’s neck, nearly causing the other to choke and grip at the blond’s strong hold in annoyance, followed by demands of release while Gatrie insisted he would share a tent with his good old friend. Mist followed by picking Mia, seeing as she was more comfortable around another girl, and Titania seemed concerned over Rhys’ health, and offered to share a tent together in case anything came up. Rolf felt much safer around Oscar than he felt around Boyd, and he probably just wanted to annoy him by picking the other anyway. Soren shut his tome, and consulted with Ike if it would be alright for him to occupy one of the tents by himself, seeing as he wasn’t extremely comfortable with the idea of sleeping too close to someone else. Ike consented, and after wishing one another a good night, everyone retreated to their respective tents. It was then Ike realized that would leave…

Boyd and himself.

Ike let a sigh out. He had seen the way Boyd sleeps before. Limbs sprawled all over, rough motions and sudden turns. Snoring was just an occasional thing, much to his relief. Nonetheless, he shook his thoughts off, tightened his cape around his neck, and headed off to his tent.

He found Boyd giving their tent one last examination before heading in himself, followed by Ike. They both shuffled around for a bit, removed their few armor pads, and settled for their socks, setting their boots aside.

…

Time passed, and Ike was lost in thought. He found himself unable to shut an eye, and memories of the past would come to pay him a visit every now and then. It happened often. Not always, but often nonetheless. It wasn’t anything that scared Ike, or made him worry too much, but it did keep him up, thinking, and kept him from getting the rest others would beg him to get, and that he needed desperately.

Memories of that night, the night that changed everything for him. While it did lead him to the path of growth, the price to pay for it was far too big to compensate for it, or anything at all. He found himself questioning his position once more, wishing Greil was still around to whip him into shape. He felt vulnerable. Open. And his body grew colder and colder...

He clung to his cape tightly, but the thin fabric wasn’t enough to shield him from the biting cold that snuck from under the tent, directly into his body through the blanket on which he lay. It sent shivers down his body, but he decided to shut his eyes and focus on something, anything other than the cold he was feeling. The more he tried, the more he’d shake. And it was then he heard a voice.

“Ike? You awake…?” Said the green-haired mercenary, lifting the upper half of his body up and turning to his side to face Ike.

“Don’t mind me, it’s just a little cold in here.” He replied dismissively, urging the other to resume his sleep.

“No way, you wouldn’t be shaking like that if it was just “a little” cold. Do you need another blanket?”

“I’m serious, don’t worry about—”

“Don’t give me that crap! You’re clearly freezing up there. It takes only a pair of eyes to see that, so don’t give me all that bull.”

Ike remained silent, simply scowling to himself while Boyd shuffled around in search of something.

“Darn it…”

There were no more covers around, and no other pieces of clothing or rags or anything that could block the cold from reaching Ike.

“Ah! I know. Um, well…” Boyd sounded hesitant.

“What’s the big idea?” Ike said in an almost taunting tone, still refusing to face Boyd.

“I don’t think you’ll like it.”

“You won’t know until you speak.”

“Quit pushing it! I’m gonna say it now…” Boyd raised his voice, but quickly broke it midsentence; reminding himself others around them were already in deep sleep.

“Then say it!” The younger mercenary wasn’t a patient man, and Boyd was seemingly running out of time on that matter.

“I could share mine with you, if you want.” The green-haired mercenary sounded almost like he was whispering, holding the words back.

This was met by silence on Ike’s end. He could feel his heart jump for a split second there. Something clearly unexpected, yet somehow, he felt as though he was hoping something like that would be among his plans.

“Well? Ike?” He was still processing what was suggested to him. He wasn’t entirely opposed to the idea, seeing as he didn’t outright reject it. If anything, he actually was intent on accepting, but couldn’t find the appropriate words to… Oh, screw it.

“…Alright.” The blue-haired swordsman spoke almost shyly. He could feel his cheeks getting warmer. Thoughts of him being held close by his own friend—by Boyd—flashed through his head, completely shattering his former concerns. 

“Wait—seriously?”

“Yes. I said yes. There isn’t a problem with that, is there…?”

He didn’t know why, but something about it made him feel something closely resembling eagerness, though he didn’t specifically know what it was. Rather, he couldn’t understand it, but it seemed to happen more and more often these days.

He had trouble putting his finger on what exactly it was that he felt, and though he didn’t think about it for long; he still tried to puzzle it out. Ike wasn’t very expressive with his emotions, not because he didn’t want to, but simply because he wasn’t very good at it. He had the intention, but more often than not, his bluntness would be mistaken for insensitivity, or he would simply not convey them correctly. His peers knew him, though. He was a kind and humble young man, with a noble heart and resolve of steel. The splitting image of his father, as most would say.

“No, no! Not at all. Um, just… give me a sec.” Boyd was tripping on his own words. If anything, he sounded just as nervous as Ike did, but he wasted no more time, and clumsily crawled his way next to Ike.

He could feel Boyd dragging himself closer and closer to where he was, and finally, he felt his presence behind his back. Boyd wasn’t quite sure how to proceed from that point onwards, as his sudden lack of movement hinted, but Ike didn’t seem to mind either. He wasn’t quite sure what to say, or how to react, or what to think of that situation, or how he felt about it.

“Here, now… let me just…” Boyd spoke gently, draping the large cloth on top of them; barely having it fit their bodies, with a short gap between them.

There was silence all around them. Only a few occasional shuffles and their steady breathing could be heard. It continued to be like that for several minutes, and then a long while, that felt like an eternity to both of them. Not only were they still cold, but now neither of them could shut an eye. They were frozen solid, unable to think straight, and feeling too awkward to say anything that may sound out of place to the other.

It wasn’t until after around half an hour passed, that Boyd spoke up.

“Ike?”

“What’s the matter?”

“I was just wondering…” The older mercenary said with a pause afterwards. Ike was intently listening, awaiting a question, a request of some sort. Whatever it was, he wanted to hear it now. “…You said you could never part ways with your cape, correct? Because it’s something special to you.”

“Because it holds personal value, and you may think of it as more than just a cape, yeah?”

Ike found himself speechless for a brief moment. “Yes, I suppose you could say that. What brought this up?”

“Well, it’s just that, when you said that, it just got me thinking.”

“That’s good news. Maybe I should get you to do that more often.” Ike said in a mocking tone, finally turning around to face Boyd in the darkness of their tent.

Boyd furrowed his brows and quickly pierced Ike’s gaze with his own. “Shut up, moron. I’m being serious!”

“I know, go on.”

His expression changed to an unusually calm one. He looked like he was juggling around with words, thinking carefully about what to say next. “Well...”

“I felt like I couldn’t relate to what you said to me. I mean, I understand it, but I haven’t had anything I’ve valued as much. Axes come and go, same with clothing. I’ll just wear whatever we can afford to get in our hands nowadays, since we’re mostly broke, and I rely on Mist and Rhys way too much to patch up all these. So I knew there was something different about it…”

“Something different? And what is that?” Ike inquired curiously, a brow quirked.

“After you said that… all I could think about was you.” His gaze slowly drifted apart, and that’s when Ike realized it. 

“There’s something about you that makes you special to me. Sure, my brothers, the others, you’re all special to me. Very much so! But it’s… different. What I feel for you is not the same. All our training together, the time we spend reading each other’s moves, laughing, bickering, or just plain talking. All the times I’ve told you to stay behind me, that I’d tell you to watch how I get the job done, that I’ve got you to rely on me, the times you’ve let me rely on you… Everything! I do it because you’re special to me. Very special. A… different kind of special.”

Ike couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Was Boyd really pouring out his heart on him like this? Why did it made him so happy? He thought, he questioned himself, he gave it so many twists and turns, but he concluded with an answer he already knew. He knew it very well.

“Because I like you! Yeah… that’s right! I like you!”

“Boyd…?”

“Yeah, go on. Say that’s weird. C’mon! Throw it at me, I can handle it.”

“Boyd.”

“I don’t blame you if you think it’s stupid. Go ahead and say it! Just make it quick!”

“Gods, Boyd!”

“I know it’s disgusting! Gods, I shouldn’t even have said it, and yet I—”

“Boyd! Shut up and listen to me!”

“—Huh?” His eyes quickly darted to meet Ike’s fierce gaze, stopping abruptly mid-sentence.

“I don’t think it’s stupid or weird! Don’t go putting words in my mouth before I’m even done listening to you.” The blue-haired man replied to the other, still taken aback.

“I don’t think it’s disgusting either. In fact, I don’t think you’re too far off what I feel in the first place.”

“—Wait… what? What you feel…?” Boyd blinks in awe, a dumbfounded look taking over his visage.

“I’m not sure how to put it, either. I hold many things close to my heart, such as my family, my friends, and my honor.” Ike adds he grips his cape and feels around for his headband, coiling his fingers around it.

“You’re no different. You’re my friend, so naturally, I value you highly. It’s not something I show very often, but the sentiment remains. Or at least, that’s what I thought…”

“What you thought…? How do you mean?” A tone of both fear and anxiety take over Boyd’s voice, which threatens to crack.

“Calm down, Boyd. What I’m saying is… it’s possible this feeling has grown to become something entirely different, without me knowing.”

Boyd is speechless at this point. He simply stares emptily into Ike’s eyes, waiting for him to say something that makes him snap out of his trance.

“We’ve been together since we were both young, and without a doubt very large portion of my time I’ve spent training and fighting by your side. Do you think this is not enough a reason for you to be just as special to me as I am to you? But there’s something else… something about you that I admire. Your dedication, your loyalty, your passion, and your heart, most of all.”

“Ike, I…”

“…Do you remember that one night? You told me I could count on you. You made me recall something I thought was slowly slipping away from my hands. That I have a place to call home with my friends… not, my family. And that is you guys. I’m going to protect my family, but most of all, I want to protect you, who helped me stay on my feet all this time. I owe you, but this isn’t about obligations anymore, is it? It’s matters of the heart now, and I’ve come to realize… mine has already found belonging. And that… is you.”

Despite sounding calm, he felt as though his heart was about to burst out of his chest at any moment. His hands and feet were colder than the rest of his body was, and Boyd’s situation didn’t appear to be any different. Ike expected a verbal answer, a reaction, anything at all, but Boyd didn’t answer. It was then that he could see him shifting, moving forward until he’s kneeling between his legs, hovering in front of him. Probably because it’s unbearably cold, but he can feel Boyd’s heat, and he feels his trembling hand when he places it on his shoulder, leaning in. Ike knows exactly what’s coming, and he accepts it fully, welcoming Boyd’s lips on his own. He shuts his eyes after the other relaxes, easing into their careful kiss, and feeling a warm, unfamiliar feeling in his chest, one that feels right without telling him anything.

The fragile smack of Boyd’s lips pulling away from his has him leaning in again, following before he can catch himself, and after he does, he doesn’t think, but he brings himself closer to Boyd than he’s ever been before, being fully embraced by the other’s warmth, his arms shielding him, keeping that warmth from ever escaping their bodies, and his nose gently rubbing on his face.

The rest of the night was spent in silence, but their hearts had talked more than their smiles let on. Ike found himself in Boyd’s cradle, close, with their fingers intertwined as they slept peacefully, and more importantly, in loving warmth.

…

Everyone wakes up early next morning. The fire had ran out overnight, but the sun had already begun rising from beneath the distant mountains, casting gentle light on the waking mercenaries. The wind howled still, but the snowstorm had finally ceased completely. The grass was dry and frosted, hissing under their boots, and they shuffled all over their campsite, packing up to resume their journey, hoping to enjoy the festival in Gallia.

Ike was unusually late. Titania and Soren would often sight him swinging his blade in the air at four, but there was no sign of him at all. It’s then when Mist decides to peek inside his tent, and she finds them both, scrambling around for their belongings, with horrendous bedheads.

Ike borrows a comb from Mist and runs it through his shiny, blue hair, tying his headband around his forehead as per usual, while it takes Boyd no more than a couple slicks backwards to keep his hair even. They exchanged knowing glances every so often, and neither the nosey Mist or the observant Soren missed these few crooked smiles they’d make at each other, or the faint blush on their cheeks when they’d catch the other shooting a glance their way.

The rest of their trip was spent normally, as any other trip would go, but Mist would poke at Rolf’s shoulder more than usual, not to talk, but to quietly point at their siblings with an innocent smile on her face.

Their hands would brush purposefully, but they held back, and then move away, then pulled back like magnets.

Rolf’s jaw dropped in amusement, and he beams at Mist, while offering her his own hand. Mist’s eyes glimmer, a smile grows on her face, and her cheeks shine with gentle flush. 

Gallian winters were indisputably cold. For the laguz, this didn’t represent a problem. They would simply enter a state of hibernation; however, it didn’t represent a problem for a certain pack of beorc, either. His hair was as blue as the deep, clear sky, and his was as green and dark as the dense Gallian forests. Together, joined by their hands, locked by their fingers, and bound by their hearts.

It was no longer a cold day for the Greil Mercenaries.


End file.
